Chapter
2
It was on the 1st of
June and it was my first day at my first job, God I was super excited and super
nervous at the same time. I opened my eyes while still in my blankets and
uncovered only my upper body and my whole body quivered in cold. We were in the
middle of winter and even though it was 05:05 in the morning, my surrounding
was dark. I looked around my dark room and the tomb-like silence haunted the
environment and I was tempted to fall back into my usual dejection but I didn’t
let myself. I woke up from my couch like I did every day. Yes, I slept on my
couch because the bed was asphyxiating; it still had Uncle Tom's scent. No
matter how many times I washed the bedding, I couldn’t get the smell out and I
couldn’t even fall asleep so my couch worked just fine. The smile on my face
was clear as I woke up. I was in awe over my new job; I couldn’t believe I was
starting a new job after graduation which was three months ago. It was not a
permanent job though; it was just an internship but hey; it was better than
nothing plus that's where it all starts. Mom and dad were thrilled about this;
I think it’s fair to say they were more delighted about this than me.
My dad was a Regional Financial
Manager at Cashit Bank in Pretoria and mom was a chef, she worked at Johnson
hotel as a chef and also owned her own restaurant at Menlyn mall. Smiths was
her restaurant and they serve sea food menus plus Italian food. It was good for
the market and it got really busy. My mom was one of the famous chefs in South
Africa and she was very passionate about her food. Even though I didn’t take
cooking as a career, I had an interest in food and great menus and I have
learned a lot from my mom over the years. We stayed in Centurion and we owned a
family home there. Even though our house wasn’t enormous, it was a beautiful
five bedroom house... the kind in which most people wouldn’t mind growing up
in. Situated among trees on one of Centurion’s most exclusive streets, it had a
screened-in front porch, double garage, a pool, formal garden that was regularly
maintained and a tennis court. With my mom being a chef, we had a big kitchen
with the best furnishers and kitchen equipments in town. We had a beautiful
home, and I loved the place at first; I mean I loved it throughout but with
Uncle Tom in the picture I couldn’t be so sure anymore. Uncle Tom owned few
businesses in town and he was married; his wife Annalisa travelled a lot
because she was a photographer for the international news channel; so she was
hardly at home. They had two sons; Alton 27 and Alaric 25 but they were all
abroad.
I took off my black underwear
and my mom’s grey t-shirt I was using as my pyjama and wrapped the towel around
my chest. The t-shirt was obviously big and baggy but I loved it. I stole the
t-shirt from my mom. She fought me when she found out I was using it as a
pyjama but she gave up because I would steal it again after she had taken it
back. I know there is a level of weirdness out there and I don’t know if mine
was normal. The reason behind going to bed in my mom’s t-shirt was that I felt
safe in it, like she was there with me, it made me feel like I was in her arms
throughout the night and that kind of warmth and protection was the kind I
needed. I know that at 22 I was supposed to be old enough to be independent and
looking into moving out of my parents’ house and being by myself but I was
afraid most of the times and I needed my mom’s protection. I couldn’t tell her about
that but her scent in her t-shirt was enough to give me a good night sleep. The
scent wasn’t so strong anymore, the t-shirt smelt more like me than it did my
mom but it still made me feel safe.
I smiled as I walk to the
shower. For the first time since I came back home I was over the moon. I
didn’t know what the working environment had in store for me and I don’t know
if I was ready, well I don’t know if anyone is ever ready to grow up but I was
welcoming the new venture with nothing but a smile and great expectations. I
got to the shower and threw the towel on the floor and then took the shower cap
and wore on my head to prevent my afro from getting wet. Those who have afros
will agree with me, you wouldn’t want to wash your afro if you don’t have the
whole day in your hands. Mine was so thick I couldn’t even hair-dry it myself.
So I used to go to the salon on weekends to have it washed. I stepped into the
shower and sang Avril Lavigne–Complicated. I was one of the people who
only had the courage to sing while in the shower. Avril Lavigne was one artist
whose music I enjoyed.
When I stepped into the shower,
my toes flinched as they come in contact with the icy tiled floor. I turned on
the hot water and closed my eyes as the warm water soaks into my skin and for a
moment I felt at peace. After the shower I dried myself with a towel and
then went back to my room. I got there and stood in front of the mirror looking
at my naked body and frowned. I hated my body, well, not just my body, I hated
myself and I blamed myself for everything that my body had to endure. Standing
there I wondered what I would wear. I looked at my afro that clearly needed a
good combing and rolled my eyes. I looked at my small boobs that were A cup. I
cupped them with such a frown and then let go. I hadn’t explored my body like
this in a while. I was a size 28 and sometimes I wore 30. I had a deeply
bronzed skin colour and an average height. My face was round-shaped with
deep set thick lashed eyes, thick lips and a small nose.
I was not sure what to wear for
my first day at work. My mom walked in right when I was debating with myself
about what to wear.
"Knocking would really be
appreciated mom"
I said while still standing
naked in front of my built in wardrobe and my full body mirror which was on the
middle door of the wardrobe. My room wasn’t enormous. I used the same
room ever since the first day I became a Smith. The room had a single bed
when I was young but that’s in the garage now and we changed my bed when I went
to high school. There was now a double bed that occupied most of the space
in my room. The headboard was grey with two side tables attached to it. My
wardrobe also had a grey colour. I had one black leather three sitter couch I
fought for when my parents changed the lounge suite, Josh and I had a good
fight over the couch and I won simply because I was the first born and Josh got
the two seater. The couch was evidently old but still in a tolerable condition.
I had my family’s framed photographs on each bedside table and I also had few
magazines and novels there. My room was painted pink, maybe I was a little too
grown up for a pink colour but the room had been like that ever since I was a
child and I never thought of changing it. I wasn’t a neatnik, but I tried my
best to keep my room clean. There was also a white chest drawer situated just
opposite my bed. That’s where I put my underwear’s and sleep wears and hair
accessories.
“Unless you are hiding
something, then I think I am still welcome to come in and out as I please, I
can’t do the same with Josh so please honey let me do this” I looked at her and
smiled.
“How was your sleep?” I said
and opened the wardrobe and starred at my clothes and realised that I had no
idea what was more suitable for work.
“Your dad was snoring as usual”
she said and giggled.
“So...what are you wearing?”
she was standing beside me with her hands on her hips too. She was still in her
pyjamas.
“Um... I am not sure mom”
“Okay let me be of help then…
and please don't argue with me about this since you are standing there not
knowing what to wear” see why I don’t want to move out of this house? I don’t
know what I’d do without her... I thought to myself and smiled.
“Okay madam” I sat on the bed
butt naked with a smile on my face and waited for my mom to pick something for
me.
“You have no idea how excited I
am about this sweety”
“You don’t even have to tell
me”
She went through my clothes and
took out my grey warm leggings, a long-sleeved white round neck t-shirt, my
grey fluffy knee length jacket, black knee high boots, brown socks and my black
matching underwear... the outfit seemed perfect for winter.
“There... it’s not formal but
it can do for first day”
“Thanks mom I don’t know what I
will ever do without you... now let me get dressed” “Okay be snappy, I am done
with breakfast already” I looked at her and frowned.
“Shouldn't you be getting ready
for work?”
“Not today Roxy... not today”
she kissed me on my cheek and then walked out of my room.
I smiled and then applied body
lotion on my body and got dressed in the outfit that my mom chose for me. When
I was done, I combed my afro and tied it up and then applied make-up. I also
took my grey scarf just to complete the look. I walked out of my room with my
brown handbag at hand and went to the dining room.
Mom and dad already waited in
the dining room. The ambrosial aroma of a perfect morning breakfast filled the
room, and I was again reminded of the reasons I shouldn’t dare move out of my
parents’ house because I didn’t want to miss out on any of my mother’s meals.
“Morning dad” I went to him and
kissed him on the cheek.
“Morning Pebble... how are you
feeling? You’re nervous?” wow so I am still Pebble, huh? I thought to myself
and then shook my head.
“No she doesn’t look nervous,
Roxy is strong and I am certain she will take the bull by its horns” my mom answered
on my behalf.
“Mom is right, I am sure this
will be like taking a candy from a baby, I will clap it” I said with a giggle.
“Where is Josh?” I was looking
around the room wondering where Josh was.
“Josh! Don’t tell me you are
late again” she was screaming and then she got up and disappeared into the
passage, probably went to Josh’s room.
“I am so proud of you Pebble”
my dad said when it was just me and him on the table. I looked at the fruit
salad on the table and took one grape and threw it in my mouth.
“Maybe you should stop calling
me Pebble just to show how proud you are” I said while going for another grape
and my dad laughed out loud.
“I don’t think I will ever be
able to stop, you’ll always be my little Pebble” I smiled.
Our breakfast was nothing
fancy, it comprised of a toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit salad and
coffee. That’s usually what we had for breakfast almost every day although
sometimes my mom would go all out and sometimes she will serve us cereals. Our
dining room was also nothing fancy. It was just a big open space with a
gigantic mahogany table that did its best to take up most of the space in the
room. There was a gold table cloth that only sat in the middle of the table
instead of covering the whole of it. The cloth was fancy and looked expensive.
Around the table were dining chairs that matched the table. There were three
beautiful paintings on the wall and two big flower vases on the corners of the
room and that’s about it.
Mom walked back in with Josh.
We all gathered around the table and mom said the grace and we ate. We were all
having a wonderful breakfast full of laughter and giggles until my mom said
"we are so happy for you Roxanne, your dad and I even took a day off today
so we can drive you to work since it’s your first day"
I gave them my most horrified
look and Josh just looked at me and covered his mouth with his hand as if
bottling up a laugh, he was finding this hilarious. As if the bombshell wasn’t
enough, dad said “and don’t worry about driving back, we will come fetch you”
“No no no mom, dad, I
appreciate the gesture guys I really do but you don’t have to. You can make
this day more useful and go out together or something, I will be fine” I
sounded more desperate than I intended.
“Pebble you are our little girl
and you just got your first job after getting your Degree, this is a historical
moment, you only get one chance at getting your first job in life and we are
not missing it” my dad said.
“I agree with you dad, I
totally agree with you” Josh said and continued laughing. I gave him a death
stare, and he ignored me. I knew there was no winning this one. If my parents
wanted to take me to work, then they would not take no for an answer so I let
it slide.
After breakfast we all left the
house. Josh drove to school in my mom’s Hyundai and I drove with my parents in
Dad’s Mercedes. I was feeling a little embarrassed, well maybe not a little but
really embarrassed and I wished to meet none of my colleagues at the parking
lot. I didn’t want to be seen as a spoilt brat, at least not on my first day at
work. I wanted to start a new chapter of my life and it was important for me
that my colleagues get to know me first before passing any judgements towards
me. I was going to work at The National Department of Environmental
Affairs in Arcadia. We got to the department’s building, and they parked their
car just across it.
“Thank you guys, I really
appreciate it” well, that was a lie.
“It’s our pleasure Pebble, see
you at lunch” what?
“We are having lunch together?”
I couldn’t believe this.
“Of course we are and don’t
worry, if you don’t want fast foods I can always make your favourite meal” I
breathed.
“Um we can go to any
restaurant; you don’t really have to cook anything for me”
I got out of the car and they
did the same. They came and gave me hugs and kisses and then wave at me as I
cross the road to my work. God, I was so embarrassed I wanted the world to open
and swallow me. I was about to get inside the gate when I looked across the
road and they smiled and waved at me again. I gave them one last wave and
walked inside the gate.
I was not sure which way I was
supposed to go so I walked to the reception personnel sitting behind the
desk for help. I gave him my name and surname and explained to him that I
was a new accounting intern and didn’t know where I was supposed to go. He made
a quick phone call and then asked me to go to the 4th floor and ask
for Bokang Molebu. I thanked him and took the lift to the 4th floor.
I was feeling a bit nervous. I was joined in by three more people in the lift
who seemed to know their way around the place. I smiled thinking that this
would be me from tomorrow onwards. The lift finally arrived at the 4th
floor and I got out. I looked around and spotted a desk that looked like a
reception desk. There were also five sets of sofas on my left-hand side with
two girls and one guy sitting. I walked towards the desk and greeted the lady
behind it. I told her who I was, and that I was an accounting intern. She said
nothing but rather pointed on the waiting area. I smiled and walked to the
sofas and sat on the one seater sofa. I smiled and greeted the two girls and
one guy who were sitting there and they greeted me back. The guy asked if I was
an intern and I nodded. I thought he was Bokang but to my surprise he said he
was also an intern and was told to wait just here.
I had a conversation with my
fellow interns. We would work together, so we had to get to know each other.
Our discussion was based around basic stuff like where we are both from, what
qualifications we each have and our names. The guy’s name was Zandi and the two
ladies were Zintle and Mashudu. I was looking at them as we spoke. Mashudu was
a skinny girl, and I kept on looking at her and wondering how she does it. We
were in the middle of winter so Pretoria was freezing cold but Mashudu was
wearing a blue skinny jean, high heels and a crop top that left her bellybutton
exposed and a long buttonless cardigan that was long enough to reach below her
knees. I was trying to make sense of her attire but I couldn’t. She looked
beautiful though, there was no doubt about that but I didn’t understand why
someone would go through so much trouble to look beautiful. I shook my head and
smiled looking at Zandi. He looked like a regular guy. He was wearing a blue
jean, white sneakers, and a blue hooded jersey. Zintle was also in a small
dress, leggings, knee high boots and a jacket on top. I had no idea how I would
blend in and be one of them but it had to happen. This was my chance at
normality and I planned on making the best of it. I laughed and smiled in
between the conversation.
I think we waited for about an
hour until someone came to us. An African man who looked like he was in his late
30s or early 40s greeted us. He was tall, bald and light-skinned. His body was
average size and he had a friendly smile on his face. We greeted him back,
and he introduced himself to us as Bokang Molebu and asked us to follow him. We
did as instructed and followed him to an office. We kept on looking at each
other and smiling as we follow him. I guess we were all excited for the job. We
got to the office and there was no one else in there. The office had four desk
tables, and each table had its own work desk and its own computer.
"This is where the four of
you will report for duty every day. You can each choose a table and that table
will be your cubicle for the duration of this internship. Shirley at the
reception is busy printing out your contracts and she will guide you on how to
fill them in and signing them. I am your supervisor and if you need anything,
then you need to come to me. There isn’t much that you will do today, you will
sign the contract and then get to know the staff members. Shirley will also
help you guys with getting the access cards to the building so that you can
clock in every day when you come to work. Questions?" we looked at each
other and shook our heads.
“Good then, Shirley will be
with you in a minute… Um before I go… can you please introduce yourselves?”
“I am Zandi” Zandi sounded
confident when he talked.
“And I am Mushudu but you can
call me Mash” I couldn’t get the joke but Mashudu said her name and then
giggled, I really couldn’t understand what was funny.
“And this right here is Zintle”
she said with a polite smile. Everyone else looked at me and then I snapped out
of my thoughts.
“Um and I am Roxanne” my voice
was croaky.
“Okay guys, welcome to DEA
which stand for Department of Environmental Affairs under the financial directorate.
This is your home for the next 12 months, feel at home. If you need anything
talk to Shirley or knock on my door” he was about to leave when Mashudu said:
“And where is your door, sir?”
I saw Zintle rolling her eyes, and I looked away and wanted to laugh but I
contained myself.
“Office number 404”
“Okay thank you” Bokang walked
out of the office.
Mashudu was the first one to
pick a table, and she chose the one close to the door. Zandi picked the one
close to hers and Zintle and I went for the ones at the far corner.
“Is this your first job?” she
asked me as she sat on her chair.
“Yes it is, you?” she shook her
head.
“My second internship, the
first one was at a private company”
“Ow that’s good, it means you
have more experience than me then” she smiled.
“If that’s what you want to
believe” I giggled and sat on my chair. I switched on the computer and it
needed a username and a password, I had none of those things.
“I think Shirley will help us
with that” she said looking at my computer screen.
“Yes she has to” I smiled.
After a few minutes the front
desk lady walked in. I guessed she was Shirley. We all stopped what we were
doing and looked at her.
“Okay my name is Shirley and I
am the admin officer around here. I have your contracts on my hand and I will
help you fill them in and sign them”
Shirley helped us to sign the
contracts, we all took our time and read the document. It was all new to me.
The stipend was R5000.00, and I was happy to be getting that kind of money. It
was my first job and I swear I would have accepted any stipend because I was in
no position to choose jobs based on how much they offer. We were getting 22
days annual leaves, 5 sick days, 10 study leaves and 5 family responsibility
leaves. Well, I was happy with that too, it’s not like I had anything to
compare it to. The whole contract talked about what’s expected of us at the
department and the duration of the internship and also the terms that could
lead to the termination of the contract. After signing the contracts she gave
us both access cards to the building. After that she disappeared and left us by
ourselves. Bokang came back and gave us a tour around the whole financial
department and he introduced us to everyone. After that we went back to the
office. We sat in the office and talked until lunch time. None of us brought
lunch box so we left the building together.
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